The 2005-06 Houston Rockets season was marked by significant challenges and underperformance. The team, led by head coach Jeff Van Gundy, finished with a disappointing 34-48 record, missing the playoffs. This outcome was largely due to injuries to key players, notably Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, who both struggled with health issues throughout the season.
Tracy McGrady, a vital offensive force for the Rockets, was limited to just 47 games due to recurring back problems. His absence significantly impacted the team’s ability to compete at a high level consistently. Yao Ming, despite his own injury setbacks, managed to play 57 games and averaged 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, showcasing his value when on the court.
Beyond their star duo, the Rockets struggled with depth and consistency. Role players like Rafer Alston, who was acquired in a trade with the Toronto Raptors, and David Wesley tried to fill the gaps, but the team’s performance remained inconsistent. The Rockets ranked near the bottom in offensive efficiency, reflecting their struggles to score without their stars fully healthy.
Defensively, the team maintained a respectable stance, thanks to Van Gundy’s emphasis on defense, but it wasn’t enough to offset their offensive woes. The season ultimately served as a catalyst for future changes, with the Rockets seeking to bolster their roster and improve their resilience against injuries in subsequent seasons.
- Regular Season Record: 34-48
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Houston Rockets Roster and Stats for 2005-06 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Tracy McGrady | 47 | 24.4 | 6.5 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 31.2 | |||||||
| Yao Ming | 57 | 22.3 | 10.2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Rafer Alston | 63 | 12.1 | 4.0 | 6.7 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 32.7 | |||||||
| Juwan Howard | 80 | 11.8 | 6.7 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Derek Anderson | 20 | 10.8 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 28.4 | |||||||
| David Wesley | 71 | 9.9 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 36.5 | |||||||
| Stromile Swift | 66 | 8.9 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Luther Head | 80 | 8.8 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 36.1 | |||||||
| Keith Bogans | 33 | 8.5 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 31.4 | |||||||
| Richie Frahm | 8 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 36.4 | |||||||
| Jon Barry | 20 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 37.5 | |||||||
| Chuck Hayes | 40 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Lonny Baxter | 23 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Stephen Graham | 6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 20.0 | |||||||
| Dikembe Mutombo | 64 | 2.6 | 4.8 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 | |||||||
| John Lucas III | 13 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 22.2 | |||||||
| Moochie Norris | 29 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Rick Brunson | 23 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 41.7 | |||||||
| Ryan Bowen | 68 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 13.6 | |||||||
| Maciej Lampe | 4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Josh Davis | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Houston Rockets 2005-06 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 2005-06 season for the Houston Rockets.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 02, 2005 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 98-89 | |
| Nov 05, 2005 | vs. New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | L 91-84 | |
| Nov 08, 2005 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 76-74 | |
| Nov 10, 2005 | @ Miami Heat | L 88-84 | |
| Nov 12, 2005 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 99-91 | |
| Nov 13, 2005 | @ Boston Celtics | L 102-82 | |
| Nov 15, 2005 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 94-89 | |
| Nov 17, 2005 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 86-80 | |
| Nov 18, 2005 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 78-70 | |
| Nov 20, 2005 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 85-74 | |
| Nov 22, 2005 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 102-93 | |
| Nov 23, 2005 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 100-88 | |
| Nov 25, 2005 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | L 86-81 | |
| Nov 26, 2005 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 94-89 | |
| Nov 29, 2005 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 100-85 | |
| Dec 03, 2005 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies | L 90-75 | |
| Dec 06, 2005 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 91-73 | |
| Dec 08, 2005 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 106-95 | |
| Dec 11, 2005 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 100-86 | |
| Dec 14, 2005 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 111-105 | |
| Dec 15, 2005 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 104-98 | |
| Dec 17, 2005 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 89-81 | |
| Dec 18, 2005 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 76-74 | |
| Dec 21, 2005 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L 94-81 | |
| Dec 23, 2005 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 108-86 | |
| Dec 27, 2005 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 82-74 | |
| Dec 28, 2005 | @ New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | L 92-90 | |
| Dec 31, 2005 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 94-89 | |
| Jan 03, 2006 | @ Washington Wizards | W 123-111 | |
| Jan 05, 2006 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 90-81 | |
| Jan 06, 2006 | @ Toronto Raptors | L 112-92 | |
| Jan 08, 2006 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 92-90 | |
| Jan 10, 2006 | @ Charlotte Bobcats | L 111-106 | |
| Jan 11, 2006 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 88-80 | |
| Jan 14, 2006 | vs. New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | L 86-80 | |
| Jan 16, 2006 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 94-83 | |
| Jan 18, 2006 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 103-76 | |
| Jan 20, 2006 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 109-108 | |
| Jan 22, 2006 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 99-97 | |
| Jan 23, 2006 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 97-80 | |
| Jan 25, 2006 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats | W 102-78 | |
| Jan 27, 2006 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | L 96-92 | |
| Jan 29, 2006 | vs. Miami Heat | L 101-95 | |
| Jan 30, 2006 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | L 86-77 | |
| Feb 01, 2006 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 86-84 | |
| Feb 03, 2006 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 100-77 | |
| Feb 05, 2006 | @ New York Knicks | W 93-89 | |
| Feb 06, 2006 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 87-81 | |
| Feb 08, 2006 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 89-78 | |
| Feb 11, 2006 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 102-88 | |
| Feb 12, 2006 | vs. New York Knicks | W 90-83 | |
| Feb 14, 2006 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 128-97 | |
| Feb 16, 2006 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 109-75 | |
| Feb 22, 2006 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 106-102 | |
| Feb 24, 2006 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 91-88 | |
| Feb 26, 2006 | @ Orlando Magic | W 89-84 | |
| Feb 27, 2006 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 111-94 | |
| Mar 01, 2006 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 106-101 | |
| Mar 03, 2006 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 89-78 | |
| Mar 05, 2006 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 102-84 | |
| Mar 07, 2006 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 93-87 | |
| Mar 08, 2006 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 103-99 | |
| Mar 12, 2006 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 88-81 | |
| Mar 13, 2006 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 90-77 | |
| Mar 15, 2006 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 95-81 | |
| Mar 18, 2006 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 92-77 | |
| Mar 20, 2006 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 99-91 | |
| Mar 21, 2006 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 88-72 | |
| Mar 23, 2006 | @ New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | W 93-92 | |
| Mar 26, 2006 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 104-102 | |
| Mar 29, 2006 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 115-87 | |
| Mar 31, 2006 | vs. Washington Wizards | W 105-103 | |
| Apr 02, 2006 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 104-88 | |
| Apr 04, 2006 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 104-87 | |
| Apr 05, 2006 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 76-75 | |
| Apr 07, 2006 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 100-93 | |
| Apr 09, 2006 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 86-77 | |
| Apr 10, 2006 | @ Utah Jazz | L 85-83 | |
| Apr 12, 2006 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | L 82-79 | |
| Apr 15, 2006 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies | L 93-81 | |
| Apr 17, 2006 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 86-83 | |
| Apr 19, 2006 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 89-87 |